Visions, chapter 1
Claire sighed and sank down onto her couch. It had been a long day at work, and she was ready to settle down with a bowl of popcorn, her cat Malibu, and the movie Anchorman. Just as she was about to start the movie, her phone rang. "Goddammit," she thought to herself, "who the hell is calling me tonight of all nights?" She picked up the receiver.
"This is Claire... Oh hi dad... Nothing... Tough day, that's all... No, I'm about to watch a movie with Malibu... Yeah, sure. We'll talk another time... No problem... Love you, bye."
She hung up the phone and curled her knees up to her chest. Malibu took the cue and crawled into Claire's arms. Claire stroked his soft fur and scratched behind his ears. Malibu purred approvingly. The movie started and she was whisked away into the land of funny, where work issues stepped aside to brainless humor where Claire didn't have to think about anything else.
But suddenly an image popped into her mind, blinding her of anything else. Claire was horrified at what she saw. This had happened before, but she had never recognized the face until now. Images like these had been haunting her since she was a child. They were people who were in trouble or needed help. If the circumstances surrounding the image were familiar enough, Claire could place a phone call to the police and they would handle it - she had been right on enough occasions to warrant their trust. But somehow, because they were strangers, Claire never felt any obligation to help them. Why should she? She hadn't asked for this gift. If she couldn't help them, she didn't feel so bad about it.
But this was different. She knew the face well. It was twisted up in pain, but Claire had recognized it immediately. It made her sick to her stomache to see him hurting so much. As if it were a dream, Claire watched the man in her vision wipe away tears from his eyes and bury his face in his hands. It seemed the man had lost hope.
"Poor Mike!" She said aloud. Malibu looked at her, as if he himself were concerned as well. Claire didn't know what to do; she didn't even know where to start. Her visions never told her outright where or when anything would occur. She could see that he was in what appeared to be a living room. There was a big red couch and a fireplace with a large mantle made of marble. "His house?" she wondered.
Then the image was gone. Claire sat, dumbstruck by what she had seen. She knew the vision would come back again, but she didn't know when. The look on Mike's face had frightned her, and she wished she wouldn't have to see it again, but it wasn't possible to look away from the images in her mind. Claire couldn't even fathom what could possibly make Mike hurt this much that she would have a vision of him. She racked her brain for any news that she might have heard, but nothing came to mind. How could she even contact him? She knew she would just sound like a crazy fan if she tried. She didn't even know where he was! Green Day was on tour, she knew that much at least. But what city they were currently in, she didn't have the foggiest idea.
But then, a thought burst in her mind. "Lacy!" She exclaimed! It was a long shot, but maybe her old friend Lacy was the key to figuring this whole thing out. "It's worth a try," she thought.
"This is Claire... Oh hi dad... Nothing... Tough day, that's all... No, I'm about to watch a movie with Malibu... Yeah, sure. We'll talk another time... No problem... Love you, bye."
She hung up the phone and curled her knees up to her chest. Malibu took the cue and crawled into Claire's arms. Claire stroked his soft fur and scratched behind his ears. Malibu purred approvingly. The movie started and she was whisked away into the land of funny, where work issues stepped aside to brainless humor where Claire didn't have to think about anything else.
But suddenly an image popped into her mind, blinding her of anything else. Claire was horrified at what she saw. This had happened before, but she had never recognized the face until now. Images like these had been haunting her since she was a child. They were people who were in trouble or needed help. If the circumstances surrounding the image were familiar enough, Claire could place a phone call to the police and they would handle it - she had been right on enough occasions to warrant their trust. But somehow, because they were strangers, Claire never felt any obligation to help them. Why should she? She hadn't asked for this gift. If she couldn't help them, she didn't feel so bad about it.
But this was different. She knew the face well. It was twisted up in pain, but Claire had recognized it immediately. It made her sick to her stomache to see him hurting so much. As if it were a dream, Claire watched the man in her vision wipe away tears from his eyes and bury his face in his hands. It seemed the man had lost hope.
"Poor Mike!" She said aloud. Malibu looked at her, as if he himself were concerned as well. Claire didn't know what to do; she didn't even know where to start. Her visions never told her outright where or when anything would occur. She could see that he was in what appeared to be a living room. There was a big red couch and a fireplace with a large mantle made of marble. "His house?" she wondered.
Then the image was gone. Claire sat, dumbstruck by what she had seen. She knew the vision would come back again, but she didn't know when. The look on Mike's face had frightned her, and she wished she wouldn't have to see it again, but it wasn't possible to look away from the images in her mind. Claire couldn't even fathom what could possibly make Mike hurt this much that she would have a vision of him. She racked her brain for any news that she might have heard, but nothing came to mind. How could she even contact him? She knew she would just sound like a crazy fan if she tried. She didn't even know where he was! Green Day was on tour, she knew that much at least. But what city they were currently in, she didn't have the foggiest idea.
But then, a thought burst in her mind. "Lacy!" She exclaimed! It was a long shot, but maybe her old friend Lacy was the key to figuring this whole thing out. "It's worth a try," she thought.
